University of Wisconsin Milwaukee UWM Digital Commons Theses and Dissertations December 2016 Farm Aid: a Case Study of a Charity Rock Organization Andrew Palen University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.uwm.edu/etd Part of the Mass Communication Commons, and the Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons Recommended Citation Palen, Andrew, "Farm Aid: a Case Study of a Charity Rock Organization" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 1399. https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/1399 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by UWM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UWM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. FARM AID: A CASE STUDY OF A CHARITY ROCK ORGANIZATION by Andrew M. Palen A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Media Studies at The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee December 2016 ABSTRACT FARM AID: A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF A CHARITY ROCK ORGANIZATION by Andrew M. Palen The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, 2016 Under the Supervision of Professor David Pritchard This study examines the impact that the non-profit organization Farm Aid has had on the farming industry, policy, and the concert realm known as charity rock. This study also examines how the organization has maintained its longevity. By conducting an evaluation on Farm Aid and its history, the organization’s messaging and means to communicate, a detailed analysis of the past media coverage on Farm Aid from 1985-2010, and a phone interview with Executive Director Carolyn Mugar, I have determined that Farm Aid’s impact is complex and not clear.